Shirt stretcher



(No Model.) 25mm-sheer, 1. Y

S. MOE. SHIRT STRBTGHBR.

Ewen/tar.' Wizesesx of@ 26 S/Zlve M6',

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

S M 0 E. SHIRT' STRBTGHBR.

16.592,160. I Patented oct. 19,1897.

EEICE.

PATENT sIvERTMOE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNOR TO THE TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LIMITED, or SAME PLACE.

SHIRT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,160, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed January 14, 1896. Serial No. 575,529. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIvERT MOE; a'cit-izen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in;

the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve. ments in Shirt-Stretchers, of which'th'e fol' lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for stretching shirts upon a bosom-board and it has for its Object, among others, to provide a simple and cheap device readily attached to an ironing-board, by Which the shirt may be readily clamped and stretched, and which, after the same has been ironed and the shirt disengaged 1 The clamping and-stretching device form` ing the subject-matter of this application is designed to be used in conjunction with suitable neck-clampingV devicesV on the same board.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of the specication, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement and the parts shown in the position they assume when the shirt has been clamped. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the position of the parts after the shirt has been stretched. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in their normal position ready lto receive lthe shirt and beforeV 4the, clamping fjaws are brought together to clamp the same. Fig. 4

is a substantially central vertical longitudinal section with parts in the position in which theyare seen in: Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an end elevation, and Fig. 6 is a top plan.

`Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings' by letter, A designates a plate or casting adapted for attachment to the under side of lan ironing board or table or other support -X in any convenient manner-for instance, by screws a, as indicated in Fig. l by dotted lines. Projecting from this plate or casting are the arms A', and extending centrally from the outer edge of this plate or casting is the inclined curved arm A2, the under face of which is toothed or notched, as seen at a', to constitute a rack withV which is adapted to engage a pawl, hereinafter described.

B is a rod or shaft supported in ears at the Outer ends of the' arms A', and on the outer ends of this shaft or rod beyond the ears of rying the curved plate C', which, upon its rear face, is formed with lugs or ears C2, in which is held a shaft or pin C3, on which is pivotally mounted the pawl D, one end of which is beveled or pointed, as seen best in Figs., l and 4, to engage the rack-teeth a' of Vthe arm A2'on the plate or casting A, and this pawl is formedl with an arm D,Whioh is, inthis instance, shown as curved to conform to the curvature of the rear face of the curved plate C'. ,v A spring D2 is arranged around the pivot of this pawl to act upon the pawlto keep it normally in engagement with the rack. The Curved plate C has a centrally-disposed forwardly and upwardly extending arm D3, having an opening to receive the shaft or rod B, and the upper end of this curved arm D3 is rounded, as seen at cl3..

E is a spring coiled around the shaft or rod B, with one end secured to or bearing against the under face of the plate orbracket A, as shown, and its other end secured to or adapted to bearagainst the front side ofthe curved plate C', as shown. The upper end of` the said curved plate is formed with the transverse extension C4, forming one of the clampthe said arms A' are sleeved the arms C, caring-jaws, and upon its front face it is con- IOO inclusive, and into which the shirt-body is designed to be pressed and clamped by the other jaw, as will hereinafter appear.

F is the other jaw, carried by the curved arms F, which are sleeved upon the shaft or rod B, so as to move freely thereon. The i11- ner or rear face of this jaw has secured therein in any suitable manner the rubber or other yielding or elastic web or strip G, asshown, and which is adapted to press against the shirt-body and force and hold it in the depression of the jaw C4, as indicated in Fig. l, with a yielding pressure, so as to prevent injury of the article being operated upon. In this instance the elastic strip is shown as tubular in form and compressed within the recess in the jaw or clamped by a rod or wire g, as clearly seen in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, but it is evident that other means may be employed for holding this strip in place. The hub or sleeve f of one of the arms F is extended or lengthened and upon its rear side is formed with a lug j, in line with the arln D of the pawl, so as to actuate the same at certain periods of the operation of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully set fort-h. The jaw F is formed upon its front with the lugs or ears f2, in which is held a pin f3, upon which is mounted for pivotal movement the lever or thumb-piece H, which has depending from its under face the lug 7L, which is tapered,as shown, and is in line with the curved arm or projection D3, extending forwardly from the curved plate C', as seen best in Fig. fl.

It will be understood that the two jaws C4 and F are mounted for independent pivotal movement upon their support or shaft.

lVith the parts constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore set forth the operation is as follows: With the parts in the position in which they are seen in Fig. 3, the shirt Y being placed upon the bosom-board and the neck held or clamped in any suitable manner, the tail portion of the shirt is brought down over the jaw C4, as shown, the portion beyond that acted upon by the clamps being received in the space between and below the clamping-jaws, as indicated by dotted lines, and then the jaw F is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 and its clamping edge or strip engaged with the shirt, and, as the jaw is pressed toward the jaw C, the shirtv is firmly bound between the two jaws, and then by pressure upon the lever or thumb-piece Il the tapered face of the depending portion or lug 7L is engaged upon aud over the upper rounded end ofthe curved arm or extension D3, as seen in Fig. 4:, and, as the lever is pressed upon the extension D3, the jaw F is forced more firmly against the shirt and into the recess or depression of the jaw C4, and the parts are locked and the shirt clamped, as indicated in Fig. l. lVhen this is done, the two jaws and their arms are bound together as one, and are then moved together outward by pulling upon the arms or upon the jaws, and the shirt thus stretched. As the clamps are moved outward the pawl engages in the rack, as indicated in Fig. 2, and thus holds the parts against retrograde movement, Fig. 2 showing the position of the parts when the shirt has been stretched and ready to be ironed. After the shirthas been ironed and it is desired to remove it from the board all that is necessary to do is to pull upward upon the lever or finger-piece H until its depending lug is disengaged from the end of the curved arm D3, and, when this is done, the jaw F drops away from the other jaw and the lug f is brought into engagement with the arm D" of the pawl and forces the same against the curved plate C', and thus throws its outer end out of engagement with the rack, when the spring throws the plate C and its jaw away from the jaw F back to its normal position, that seen in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the return of the parts to their normal position is practically automatic as soon as the thumb-piece or lever is actuated to disengage the same fromV the curved arm.

Modifica-tions in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my inventionor sacrificing any of its advantages.

That is claimed as new isl. A shirt-stretching mechanism comprising independentlypivoted jaws, one of which is provided with a device for retaining the closed jaws in an adjusted position and the other of which jaws is provided with means for releasing said retaining device.

2. A shirt stretching device comprising jaws, one of which is a gravitating jaw, said jaws being pivotally mounted on a common pivot for independent or synchronous movement, and a pivoted device carried by one of said jaws, and means on the other for coperation therewith to cause said jaws to move in unison; substantially as described.

3. In a shirt-stretching device, the combination of oppositely-disposed jaws, pivotally mounted for movement independent of each other, means carried by said jaws for connecting them to move in unison, and a rackand-pawl mechanism for holding the jaws in their adjusted position; substantially as dcscribed.

4. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement, of a pivoted lever carried by one jaw, and a projection movable with the other jaw and located upon the opposite side of the axis from the jaw itself whereby the pivoted lever of the other jaw is adapted to wedge against said projection, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement, of a pivoted lever carried by one of said jaws, a projecting arm carried by the other jaw for cngagement with said lever, and a rack-andpawl mechanism for holding the parts in their adjusted position; substantially as described,

(5. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement, of a piv- IOO IIO

oted lever carried by one of said jaws, a projecting arm carried by the other jaw for engagement 'with said lever, a rack-and-pawl mechanism for holding the parts in their adjusted position, and means for actuating said pawl to separate the jaws; substantially as described.

7. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement, of means, a portion of which is movable with each jaw for causing the same to move together, and a rack-and-pawl mechanism, and releasing devices carried by and movable with said jaws for separating the same; substantially as described.

8. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal'movement, of alever pivotally mounted on one of the jaws, a curved arm carried by the other jaw for engagement With said lever, a fixed rack, a pawl carried by one of the' jaws for engagement therewith,

and means carried by the other jaw to disengage the said pawl from its rack; substantially as described.

9. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement on a common shaft, of means for locking the jaws toget-her to move in unison, and means for automatically returning the same to their normal position when disconnected; substantially as described.

10. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement on. a oom- Inon shaft, of means for locking the jaws together to move in unison, means for automatically returning the same to their normal position when disconnected, and a pawl-andrack mechanism for holding the same in their adjusted position; substantially as described.

11. The combination with the jaws mounted for independent pivotal movement, of a rack, a pawl pivotally mounted onone of the jaws, and having an arm, and a lug carried by the hub of the other jaw in line with and adapted to move said arm; substantially as described.

12. In a shirt-stretching devicea jaw having a longitudinal recess, combined with a tubular yielding strip having a portion thereof in said recess, and a rod inserted within said strip and compressing the same within the recess; substantially as described. j

13. The combination with the jaws mounted hub of the other jaw in line with and adapted to move said arm, and means for locking said jaws together to move in unison; substantially as described.

14. In a shirt-stretcher, the combination of jaws pivotally mounted upon a common shaft for movement independent or synchronous, pivoted means on the one jaw engaging means on the other for binding them together to move in unison, and means'on the one jaw engaging means on a fixed part for holding the jaws in their clamped adjusted position about their pivot; substantially as described.

15. In a shirt-stretcher, the combination of jaws pivotally mounted upon a common shaft for movement independent or synchronous, pivoted means on the one jaw engaging means on the other for binding them together to move in unison, means on the one jaw engaging means on a iiXed part for holding the jaws in their clamped adj usted position about their pivot, and provision whereby when the jaws are disconnected their holding means are automatically thrown out of operative position; substantially as described.

16. In a shirt-stretcher, a casting formed with horizontal arms, and a toothed bar disposed centrally between said arms, a shaft held in said arms, jaws pivotally mounted upon said shaft for independent movement, means carried by one of the jaws for engagement with cooperating means on the other jaw for locking them together, and a pivoted pawl carried .by one of the jaws for engaging the toothed bar to hold the jawsin their adjusted position; substantially as described.

17. In a shirt-stretcher, a casting having horizontal arms adapted to receive a shaft, and a centrally-disposed curved arm toothed upon its under side, combined with a movable jaw supported on a shaft heldin said arms, and a pivoted pawl carried by said jaw to engage said toothed arm; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. SIVERT MOE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. ROBERTS, I-LH. HOER. 

